THEA 131L Advanced Latin American Social Dances

In this advanced-level course, students continue building on their technical and historical study of two Afro-Latin social dances which they began learning in THEA 31L: Samba from Brazil, and Salsa from Cuba. Students continue learning about the common Afro-Indigenous roots and stylistic evolutions of these dances, including key threads that connect a wide range of people and practices across the Latin Diaspora. Students also continue learning about the complex origins of Samba and Salsa and how they arose out of histories of persecution, enslavement, migration, and a deep desire to hold onto tradition and celebrate life in the face of great injustice. Students attend off-campus community dance events, participate in weekly movement practice, lectures, reading and writing assignments, and keep an embodiment journal.